Developer backs up PSP-4000 chatter

**Shrygue** · March 2nd, 2009, 19:10

via Eurogamer

The next iteration of Sony's PSP handheld will feature a sliding screen, will no longer carry a UMD drive and will allow shoulder button-only games to be played when the screen is in its 'closed' position.

That's according to a development source close to Sony, speaking to Eurogamer on condition of anonymity. We first broke the news of a new update to the system late last year, revealing that PSP-4000, the third incremental hardware revision of the console, is planned for release later this year.

While Sony has refused to comment so far, further rumours have emerged in the past week claiming that 4000 will represent the first major overhaul of the system, with a sliding screen added and the UMD drive removed.

Our development source today confirmed these reports, adding: "The screen is basically the same as the one in the 3000 - except it slides." When 'closed', we were told, the screen won't cover the entire face of the console, but the unit will be "significantly smaller in width" as a result.

With the console in its 'closed' state, most controls will be inaccessible. However, our source claims that games which use the shoulder buttons exclusively - such as LocoRoco - will be playable, as these inputs will still be accessible. It's expected that the unit can also be used for media playback in this configuration.

Eurogamer further understands Sony is approaching developers for ideas for games that only require the shoulder buttons.

Sony said this afternoon it does not comment on rumour or speculation.

**darkriku2000** · March 2nd, 2009, 22:14

Hm... Interesting.

If Sony is indeed going to be focusing on digital media, then that means that it will likely be easier to mod, just a guess though, I know nothing about it

I would actually prefer just download by games through something like a psn store points card. I have been searching for a copy of Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess (Wii Version) for almost 2 months now and have had no luck. It would be so much easier to just easier to just walk into the store, buy a card, then go home and download it.

Hopefully things will get that way soon.

**ziegrim** · March 2nd, 2009, 22:55

These changes seem kinda pointless. Sony still has to make UMD games for all the psp 1000-3000s. The PSP is already tiny as hell and I can just imagine these 4000s breaking from normal use. I assume the downloadable games are Sony's newest way of protecting the software developers since Sony will undoubtedly encode them in a protected format.

**jungletek** · March 3rd, 2009, 00:08

Not to mention they are (allegedly) ignoring all the criticisms of the psp-3000's screen, as indicated by the dev saying "The screen is basically the same as the one in the 3000 - except it slides."

Oh Sony, when will you learn?